Broward black officials voice support for Runcie and Promise program

Broward schools’ controversial Promise program has another champion: Broward’s black elected officials, who are defending Promise and School Superintendent Robert Runcie.

Since the Feb. 14 shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, many critics have blamed Promise, which keeps students who have committed minor crimes out of the criminal justice system. Shooter Nikolas Cruz was referred to the program but didn’t complete it.

Advertisement

The uproar, mostly from the right-wing media, prompted Broward Black Elected Officials Inc. to fight back. It sent a letter to School Board Chair Nora Rupert on May 17 supporting Promise and Runcie.

The 15-member group said Promise has proven to be a lifeline for black students who otherwise would have been “shackled with lifelong criminal records and long-term consequences because of minor behavioral infractions.”

Promise began in 2013 after statistics showed the district was arresting far more black students than others for the same crimes. The district also had the highest arrest rates in the state.

The program started receiving scrutiny shortly after the Stoneman Douglas tragedy, in which 17 students and teachers were killed, particularly among conservatives who disagreed with the focus by Runcie and many Parkland students on gun control.

The letter from the black officials criticized Rupert for what they called “the dysfuncional status of the Broward School Board under your leadership.”

They accused Rupert of “using the pain of parents who lost children to gun violence as a tool to promote personal agendas and vendettas.”

The letter did not refer to any comments made by Rupert, and County Commissioner Dale Holness, who signed the letter as chairman of the group, said Friday he did not have specifics.

Holness said Friday that Promise was unrelated to Cruz and should not be a focus of criticism in discussions about the Stoneman Douglas tragedy.

“His evil didn’t come from Promise,” Holness said. “To take that and punish all the children who are benefiting from Promise is not right.”

The black officials also announced their support of Runcie, the superintendent since 2011, and five school board members they say are being unfairly smeared by political opponents. All are being “unfairly targeted and the value of their service is being intentionally targeted for political reasons,” according to the letter.

Runcie did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

Although Runcie has received glowing reviews from most school board members during recent evaluations, he has become a public target for the mistakes of the school system since the Parkland murders. Some Parkland parents have said they want him replaced.

A group of Parkland parents called Concerned Citizens of Broward County has announced a campaign to replace School Board members after saying the district has been unresponsive to their concerns.

Rupert, a longtime critic of Runcie, is the only incumbent getting the group’s support.